Loire Valley

Thursday night and a nice closing ceremony and cocktails and the bridge is finished. A Thai dinner at Bistrot Thai (second meal at this great Thai) with the two scorers (Greeks in Sydney in 2005) and Maurizio di Sacco, the Tournament Organiser and off to finish packing and bed.

 

A post bridge sleep in to 08:30 and I head off at 10:00 after a quick breakfast. I have booked at the Chateau de Brou 40kms past Tours but it is close to six hours driving so am planning to stop in Orleans 140 kilometres short and finish the drive the next day. However when I get to Orleans I feel well enough to drive the last 140kms and arrive at the Chateau de Brou. I arrive at large iron gates and drive along a tree covered road through what looks like a forest and arrive at a most beautiful castle where a young man carries my bags up to a second floor bedroom (thankfully) which is truly awesome - especially after 15 nights in the Ibis Hotel. It is large with a lobby separating the bathroom and toilet and bedroom. The shower is one of those with six heads that sprays the entire body so I am looking forward to my shower.

I gather that the restaurant at the hotel restaurant is special but the menu looks too limited for me and they recommend some local restaurants for consideration so I will check them out.

Bad choice as I found a recommended seafood restaurant in Rouzay and should have been put off by a name with Frit in it. Anyways the fish soup was excellent but the Oysters were flat and dull and the crab a poor time/reward investment. Back to the "Chateau" for a great nights sleep.

My GPS and I went to sleep not speaking to each other as it got me lost and I had to find my way without its help which I usually totally rely on.

Next day my GPS and I wake up having made up and decreed that today was "Chateau Day" starting with breakfast at the hotel and a 90km drive to Chambord a most magnificent castle - you can read more here: - 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ch%C3%A2teau_de_Chambord



 

The architecture and engineering in an era when there was no electric tools or precision instruments is awesome.

A short drive to another magnificent castle - Cheverny. Interestingly this castle has been in the same family (apart from a few brief periods) who still live in the wing. You can read more here:-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ch%C3%A2teau_de_Cheverny

I spent about two hours at each castle and headed for my third chateau at Amboise but once I got there I was more interested in discovering this nice town and gave this chateau a miss.

It was  now nine hours since I left the hotel so I stopped at Carrefours and bought some biscuits, goats cheese, raspberries and poulet which became my dinner. No surprise as I slipped into bed at 21:30 for a well earned sleep.

I decided to take it easy the next day especially as it is Sunday and in France "Dimanche Ferme" and in some cases Lundi (Monday) as well. I didn't really get going till 11:00 after changing rooms for the additional (now two additional nights) and sat in the gardens reading the SMH. I headed towards Chinon and came across my first vineyards which look very much like the Hunter Valley in context.

I lunched at Chinon at a nice cafe and head towards the Fortress which is exceptionally interesting. While the building is very much as one might expect they handed me a booklet (in English yay) which outlined the history of the Fortress - read more here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ch%C3%A2teau_de_Chinon
the real being the interaction between the English and French Royal families. Also interested that one brother had his brother locked up for 20+ years - sounds like a plan.

I headed back taking as many opportunities as possible to pass through little villages, vineyards and making the trip exceptionally scenic. I found a nice restaurant in the village near my lodgings and planned to go there but ended up eating a salad using last night's leftovers.

I have extended my stay here for one then two nights and using it as my base in the Loire. I am planning tomorrow to finish my Chateau'rama by visiting Chenonceau and Villandry and will feel that any further Chateaus are a bonus but not esential.

I have booked another Chateau to stay at in Normandy (Chateau du Pin) from whichI will visit Mont St Michel which has been on my "bucket" list since I first came across it some years ago. It has now been fully restored which should make it even more interesting. You really do need to check around I found this available for 399 euros for three nights but another site had it for 267 euros in a buy two nights get one free promotion - go figure and at $A100 it looks like a bargain.

While looking up this one I noticed a 20% reduction on my current hotel and when asked they gave me a 15% restrospective reduction which was kind of nice - 48 Euros.

 

 

The Loire Valley is exceptionally beautiful and the Chateaus are wonderful to visit. But I do have to say for me I prefer Provence as it has more to offer on a day to day basis - quaint little villages one after the other each with its own history and beauty. Don't get me wrong I do like it here very much indeed but it is not something I would do each year as opposed to Provence which I would.

So I set off the 70kms to Chenonceau noting that had I planned this holiday better I could have saved myself a lot of driving as I seem to be driving backwards and forwards all the time but my little Citroen C3 is very miserly on fuel and my iPhone is plugged in to listen to my backlist of podcasts so it isn't that bad.

Chenonceu is my favourite castle to date as it is the most "lived in" and practical one. Hey they even have a bedroom for their mistress and bastard son so it seems. The chapel is part of the castle and the queen can simply go into the gallery from her bedroom to pray. The gardens are quite spectacular and the palace sits atop the Cher River and one can see how supplies are delivered to the kitchens directly from boats.

A confiture crepe and baguette suffices for lunch as I take a leisurely drive through the town of Tours and take the 40 minute mini train ride through the town to get the lay of the land. I have always found these small trains to be a great way to see a small town with narrow streets.

I stop at the restaurant I had previously identified on the way back to my lodgings and had a nice meal of foie gras with plum chutney, longoustine wontons with a lovely foam and a pear brulee all accompanied by my favourite drink - citrone presse half a glass of lemon juice with cold water.

Sleep and I wake up to pack and leave the hotel. Now anybody who knows me well knows that things get caught in my being and annoy me until resolved. Well as part of getting my expense reimbursement and per diem the World Bridge Federation included 4 five hundred euro notes. Now think of the most humourless waiter or hotelier you have ever met and I can turn him into a fun loving laughing hyena by offering to pay with a 500 euro note. No bank will exchange it unless you have an account. I managed to change one at the train station in Lille - this became my mission for today.

I discovered a lovely town five minutes from my hotel but in the opposite direction for which I had always taken. Three banks and the post office all "pas possible". I discovered the reason why there is no security in banks and why they couldn't change the note - all money is held in a heavy steel machine which accepts all deposits and dispenses all change so unless you are a client and initiate a transaction "pas possible". Solution found - I bought a 1 cent (OK one eurocent) postage stamp and the machine dispensed E490 to which the teller at the post office amusingly added E9.99. I did this three times to the delight of the teller and the customers waiting and the first guy in the queue to whom I gave three eurocents worth of stamps.

I am in a good mood having solved that problem as cutely as I did and head towards Angers which is around 120kms away but this time in the right direction - away from all past toing and froing. I had decided one more castle Chateau Angers and with good reason. I was recommended to forget going to see the Bayeux Tapestry and see the Apocalypse Tapestry in Angers. Now I have to say that Tapestries do nothing whatsoever for me but this one proved an exception. Firstly it is 850 square metres - 140 metres long and 6 metres high. It is housed in an almost dark gallery with just enough light to see the panels which tell the story of the Book of Revelations. Truly remarkable and a joy to see. Read more here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apocalypse_Tapestry

Lunch at Creperie Chateau where I invent an amazing crepe - goats cheese, onion "fondue" and tomato - salivating just thinking how good it was. I drive around Angers a little and head the remaining 120kms to Chateau du Pin my lodgings for the next three nights. It takes a little longer than I expected as this is the first time I have not been on a toll road so going through the small villages slows one down but I enjoy seeing them.

I arrive at my chateau and am greeted by the +/-10 year old son of the owner, Arthur and his new cat and he races inside to get his mum who shows me the lovely room which I would describe as the finest example of shabby chic - I love it and could imagine an artist or writer feeling very at home here working. It has everything I need and will be a great base for the next three days which I will plan after I post this blog.

So its Tuesday night or Wedesday morning in Sydney and nine days and I will be home seeing my family including the pregnant ones and preparing myself for grandfatherhood only 4 months or so away. Am really enjoying this part of my trip but after almost 6 weeks home is starting to look very appealing. Any readers who want to set a date for dinner when I get back just email me and we can make a date.

Best to all
David
 

Lille

So Sunday Monday and Tuesday were all uneventful working half of the 3 sessions a day (3 every 2 days). The Australian Seniors and Women made it to the Round of 16 on Wednesday only to exit at that point.

Wednesday and the 07:30 Eurostar to London - a 1.5 hour very relaxing journey. I arrive at St Pancras and buy my 7 pound day pass which proved valuable as I did 6 trips during the day. Danielle has asked me to go to TopShop and buy some maternity wear. Note to self not all TopShop stores stock maternity clothes. Anyway I finally get what she wants and head to Ravenscourt Station where I am met by Espen Helen and the kids. So good to see them again as we go to the local Greek Restaurant for a lengthy lunch and catch up. They are moving to a six bedroom home in Kent and are urging to to come and visit offering me a bedroom with ensuite - it will happen.

I head back to Oxford/Regent Streets for a wander where it starts to drizzle but not enough to be a problem. Finally back to St Pancras for the train back to Lille where I have to change and go to an IBPA/WBF dinner with about 150 people at the local highly regarded seafood restaurant and a very nice meal.

Nothing much happens for the ensuing days other than work, a meal with Michael Wilkinson and Tonje and a lovely Thai meal with some bridge friends. The finals start on Tuesday with Poland facing Sweden in the Open (Sweden wins) Russia facing the English in the Women (England wins) and Hungary facing USA in the Seniors (Hungary wins).

I pick up my car on Monday not for any reason other than the two week rate is less than the one week and four day rate. I manage to get a 135 Euro fine but a trip to the Hotel de Police office has, I think, managed to get that cancelled.

A staff dinner on the Wednesday night at the Terrase de Rampart which is excellent (Melon/Parma and Veal) in a delightful restaurant located on the former rampart of the city and adjoining viaduct.

Closing ceremony on Thursday and I ready myself to depart the next morning. Having completely unpacked involves a lot of packing to get ready carefully separating those items I will need during the coming 12 days from those that can be left in the car.

Gastro during the past 5 days has been unpleasant but not unbearable. With a 10 day cold and gastro this is the first trip I can recall which has been upset by any illness of note. Mercifully it isn't as bad as a few years ago when a sinus infection meant I couldn't taste any food which in France isn't very pleasant.

Interestingly I get paid for China and Lille and work out that the pay I have received is more than the $A4,000 I have spent during my five weeks away from Australia making this a VERY cheap holiday although I expect next week may be a little more expensive as this is the first hotel I have booked - Chateau de Brou but even that is only $A180 a night.

Expect lots of photos over the next few days including perhaps some nice photos of dishes in restaurants.

Have very much enjoyed the bridge and being Lille. I have been in better locations for bridge than Lille but again I have been in worse. The work isnt very hard at all but speaking for 5 hours a day and concentraying on the hands and trying not to make a fool of yourself (sometimes unsuccessfully) can be very tiring sometimes.

So turning off my bridge and onto my relaxation for 12 days and then back to the reality of work, home, walking the dogs and impending grandfatherhood.

Love to all
Keep well
XD
 

Paris and Lille

Lucky I went for my walk because after I get back and relax on the bed watching Murray give Federer a solid lesson in the Olympics tennis as it starts to rain outside my window.

Travelling while the Olympics is on is no fun. Typically you are lucky if you can get one channel which focuses on the country you are in. Luckily I am able to log into my Foxtel box and watch any of the 8 channels in reasonable quality depending on the Internet speed. Pity the IOC arent prepared to hold a minute's silence for the Israeli Munich Athletes!

A phone call from the Krochmaliks results in an arrangement for an early dinner which suits my jetlagged cold ridden body just fine.

After meeting in the lobby we go for a lengthy walk in a very light rain towards the Marais and surrounds before settling on Cafe Hugo for a quite acceptable French dinner. Only pity was that I couldn't taste ANY of my foie gras and Salat Chevre Chaud (warm goats cheese salad - GRRR!!!!) and then back to the hotel for a good night's sleep.

The walk of +/- 10kms is very appreciated by my body as my blood sugars drops the next morning hearing of the amazing 100m run of Usain Bolt in the Olympics - awesome.

Meet in the lobby the next morning and Seggafreddo for breakfast and COFFEE!!! - brioche French toast nothing beats it! We walk down to Rue de Rivoli and follow a Lonely Planet tour of Parisian Arcades which I must say is very interesting finding lovely renovated and unrenovated arcades many single level versions similar to say the Strand Arcade.

During this tour we stumble across the Royal Palais Gardens which are a hidden gem being hidden by a "palace" style building surrounding a beautifully tranquil place. 

We finish up at Galleries Lafayette doing my traditional tour of the the Level 1 food hall which I regard as one of the must see food experiences. I manage to find some white cherries so my day has been made. We go to the rooftop terrace which has an awesome view of the Parisian skyline and dine in......the sixth floor cafeteria which believe it or not is very very good - well not surprisingly as there must have been 300 people eating there and it was hard to find a table.
Back to the hotel for a short nap and I wake at 19:00 the agreed meeting time and race frantically to get ready meeting four friends in the lobby and taxi to Petite Pontoise St Germain, a restaurant recommended by Vivien Cornell and which I have been to three times before. There we meet a friend of Robert/Ruth who is an American woman in her 50's who has taken a year out of life to live the dream taking an apartment in Paris to learn French and admire the artwork of Europe - she is an art critic.
We walk back via Notre Dame and the Olympic fan site where I get some awesome photos and for some reason I have developed gout so I head back to the hotel where between one thing and the next it is 23:30. Off to sleep.

So Tuesday morning we decide to walk to St Germain and Bon Marche where Ruth wanted to check out a purse she was after. That was about 5kms again walking through a combination of areas and I knew and others didn't.

On the way there we stopped at an exhibition that had been recommended titled “They Were Children: The Deportation and the Rescue of Jewish Children in Paris”. It deals with the roundup of around 4,200 Jewish Children in 1942 and their deportation to the death camps. Of course everything was in French but they certainly did have a wide variety of exhibits. They handed us an English guide but when I asked for another one the lovely lady refused to give us any more with typical French passive resistance.

A lot more walking and back to the hotel for a nap. We regroup and take a taxi to a recommended restaurant Cafe Constant which is one of five restaurants established by the "now" chef Christian Constant. The meal was lovely mine being Tartare of oyster/salmon/sea bass and Lobster Ravioli with froth of lobster bisque. With dessert it comes to $A40 - a bargain in my view.

A bit more walking and we get to the Eiffel Tower where hundred and hundreds of people are picnicking in the sunset. I taxi back to the hotel while Robert/Ruth go to the Latin Quarter to walk off the meal.

Wednesday morning and last day in Paris. We walk to the Champs Elysee's which IMHO has lost some of its former glory to the fast food outlets which dot the landscape but it is still quite beautiful.

We then Metro to the Montmartre/Sacre Coeur area and while stunningly beautiful it is just too touristy. Too many people, tourist vendors and shops and not as nice as most of the rest of Paris which I love. We Pizza for lunch which was yummy I must say and walk back to the hotel via.....

Bit of family history there....Anyway back to the hotel for a nap and we head to a restaurant chain called Relais de L'entrecote only to find it closed for renovation. We go to another restaurant called Entrecote only to find that that it was unrelated and the meal was poor - evidence I left more than half the fish soup and the Tuna Tartare was from a can. But the desert on the other hand.....

Next morning I had a mooch around the Grand Magazin by myself didn't buy anything then back to the hotel and the taxi to Gare de Nord where our TGV took us in the 200 kms to Lille in less than an hour.

Mum asked me in a phone call why I liked Paris so much and I reflected on this and concluded that it relates to the city being so lived in. When you stay as a tourist in Paris you really melt into the daily life which I like so much.

A 200 metre walk to the hotel and it was the case of the third room - first room furthest from the lift and a long way, second room smoking and third room perfect. I was a bit nervous about the hotel but it is modern, well fitted out but small but with a nice desk work area. In fact it is identical in design to the one I had in St Petersburg recently. It will be fine. The breakfast proves to be ok with baguettes, jams, jambon, ham, crepes and enough of the things I like to keep me going so thats a bonus. Apparently the breakfast and Michael and Vivien's hotel is unbelievable so maybe one day.....

I have a quick walk around to shop and buy a hotplate and pot to make soup and boiling water in the room. I am confident that I will more than save the 19 Euro cost over the ensuing two weeks.

I wander over to the venue and have a quick look around before back to the hotel and donning my suit to head back for the opening ceremony which was fine.

Not much to report on Friday and Saturday, the first two days of the tournament. Worked three of the six sessions including some with a new commentator Chris Dixon - English and with whom I have to provide any humour to be found.

My session on Saturday afternoon would count as the most boring 16 boards I have ever seen, played or commentated. One person in the VG theatre was asleep snoring and I couldn't think of any reason to wake him up.

After two days the Australian Women and Seniors are doing well while the open team is performing to expectation and struggling but not totally outclassed - yet.

Saturday night and a wonderful gala black tie dinner put on the World Bridge Federations for their "friends" of which I am one as are the committees and some but not all of the workers. It was held in a hotel which started life as a 15th Century Monastery and then an 19th Century Hospice. The gardens and dining room were quite stunning.

The only thing I didn't like about the dinner was that it started at 20:00 sit down 21:00 Entree 22:00 Mains 23:00 and - well I left as soon as desert was served.

I work 2 sessions one day and 1 session the next day of the three sessions played daily so 50% of the time. There are four commentators with two rostered per session.

At this stage I have booked Eurostar to go to London on Wednesday and will have lunch with Helen and Espen there and be back in the evening for another dinner this time the International Bridge Press Association of which I am an executive member - sounds good but only 300 members worldwide.

I have also booked a car for two days before the end of the tournament and plan to go to Gent and Brugge if I can manage it.

There are 13 days between the end of the tournament and I plan to spend the last two in Paris just to unwind and my plans for rest of the time in the Loire Valley and perhaps Normandy. I'm just hoping it doesn't get too cold.

Can't see myself blogging for the next few days as it will be much the same. But before I forget life is good - I have found the Laundromat!!!

Anyway there you have my comings and goings. Hope all is well with my readers and catch you soon.
XD

Chilling in China and on to Paris

Can’t really remember what day I am up to as they have kind of all melted into one.

Monday night and we have a round table Chinese banquet dinner meeting of the WBF Youth Committee. The major item is to discuss the venue for next year’s World Youth Pairs with Orlando being the front runner. The issue here is that costs are much higher and there can be visa issues for Muslim Countries wishing to attend. Other options are Italy, Croatia and Poland but with a desire to geographically diversify and the last congress being in Opatija in Croatia I am guessing Orlando will win. Its almost certain that I will get an invitation to attend and “work” there so late August is a block on my calendar.

Tuesday morning and they take a great photo of all the attendees. With Chris Compton arriving to join his wife who is captaining one of the USA teams and whose daughter is playing in the Girls series we manage to co-opt him to commentate and get a much needed session off. I get back to the hotel at 17:00 and flop on the bed managing to wake up just ten minutes before the continuation of last night's meeting over drinks in the bar while eating some excellent Sashimi and Udon from the hotel's Japanese restaurant.

I break from my routine and actually send my laundry to the hotel but with a shirt, trousers and underwear costing $A10 in total I feel I can treat myself.

The Australian U26 and U20 teams have done very well finishing 3rd and 6th respectively and making the 56 board quarter final and both playing reasonable USA teams but with carry forwards in favour of Australia.

 

I am not in the photo as I am racing inside to get my own camera and of course they used the photo they took before I got back - oh well.

The event has been going very smoothly with the only real complaint being the lack of western toilets. My view is that if this is the only complaint then you are running a great event. The other complaint of same KFC lunches every day has been solved with adding KFC Asian food which has been well received.

Taicang has a lot of the old world new world charm of Shanghai but perhaps without the old world physical aspects of Shanghai. Baby shoes $A2 a pair anybody.....

I should talk a little about traffic in China. Cars drive on the wrong side of the road, drive through red lights, have no respect for pedestrian crossings or traffic lights, honk their horns when nobody is in sight, drive at night without lights, share the road with bikes and motorcycles but it just simply works. The cars often come within millimetres of each other but there is no animosity or aggression simply a strong desire to get to their destination.

I must say I am really enjoying myself - it is relaxing (albeit tiring) and being surrounded by a lot of good bridge friends is a nice combination. If I have a complaint it is that it is very tiring commentating for 48 boards or 7 hours a day - I know I like talking but.....

Australia U20 fall over in the Quarter Finals while the U26 team advances to the Semis only to lose by a large margin to the Netherlands who combined good bridge with good luck to make the margin look larger than it should perhaps have seemed.

Friday afternoon and I am struck by a bad cold and sore throat - no unexpected going into and out of the air-conditioning. I go to the doctor on site who offers me two antibiotic tablets and says come back tomorrow. A phone call to Judy Snow confirms that antibiotics for a week so I photocopy the box he offered me the two tablets from and manage to secure a course of 16 at the nearby pharmacy. I have an Udon soup in the room and amazingly they come to collect the tray within 10 minutes yes 10 minutes to collect the tray - even I don't eat THAT quickly.

Next morning - my last day in China and I am glad that I haven't started the antibiotics as, even though the cold is in full swing, my throat and chest aren't too bad. I finish packing as there is limited time in the afternoon and head back to the venue for the last 32 of 80 boards of the finals in the three divisions.

While Poland win the U20 and Girls by large margins the U26 is amazingly tight with the lead changing hands many many times. In the end the Netherlands beat Israel 180-179.3 and on the very last hand.

There is a very nice presentation ceremony at the venue followed by a closing dinner at my hotel which I have to leave at 20:30 (started at 19:30) to head for the airport. On my bus is the president of the WBF and I find out that next year's youth is in Atlanta to which I am likely to get an invite even though there is no VuGraph and the following year, a repeat of this event, could be in Ismir Turkey, Luca in Tuscany or Posnan Poland - guess which one I do not want to go to.

Also the 2014 World Championships for which I will be invited will be in my beloved Istanbul - all sounds good for future events and places where I may be invited to work.

I really enjoy China and while I am "over" big Asian cities I truly love Shanghai and have enjoyed the Bridge Tournament, the work and the people. That said France has a lot of appeal right now: there I am much more comfortable with the language, cuisine and surrounds.

Arrive at the airport for the flight from hell. An old Airbus A340 with the seat in front of me only 25cm from my nose and super narrow seats which were so uncomfortable that I had to take two anti inflammatory tabs for my back. The meals were inedible - even after 11 days for KFC lunch I would have preferred KFC to what they dished up.

We arrive at Paris and of course.....steps and bus and in usual French arrogance you have to walk up stairs where the bus drops you. The Immigration officer I say hello and have a nice day and he just scowls at me. Collect my luggage and walk inter-terminal shuttle train to catch the the RER fast train to Paris. I buy the ticket having to use my credit card because the machine only takes 1 Euro coins for a 9.75 Euro fare - welcome to France. After 30 minutes they say there is a delay and will be another 43 minutes. I schlep my luggage up the stairs because there is only a down escalator. 

I demand and yes demand it was a refund on my ticket to be told "pas possible" after some more demanding a refund was now "oui possible". I negotiate a 45 Euro taxi to take me to my hotel and have a lovely conversation with the Haitian driver who is shocked when I work out that he works for 4 Euros an hour 77 hours a week. He has an accounting qualification but likes the freedom that driving a taxi gives him - sounds like slavery to me. I felt sorry for him and give him a 5 Euro tip.

I am all ready for the hotel to say "sorry sir it is only 09:00 and check in time is 15:00" but no a room is ready and I check in have a bath (yes a bath) and go for a walk.

I know the area very well having stayed at the same hotel (Mercure Cusset Opera) for a week a few years ago. I head straight for the Seggafreddo coffee shop for a great Latte and have a sporadic lunch of Prawn Salad, Apple Compote and a third of a Nutella and Banana Crepe - oh and a few mini macaroons - amazed how cheap things are here - Latte $A3.50, Prawn Salad $A7.00 and Crepe (huge) $A4.70.

People don't believe me when I tell them how cheap Europe has become - Oh and the hotel $A120.

I walk for around 5kms which is much needed as with the heat and humidity I hardly did any walking in Taicang. I came across an area new to me Montchgueil - a blocked off street with lots of bistros, coffee shops, fish shops, fruit shops etc - quaint and nice to walk along.

Now things are strange when I look into the shop window selling prams but here you go. Recaro are the makers of the world's most coveted car seats including racing car seats so I have decided that my grandchildren deserve nothing less than a Recaro pram....

Bought some breakfast.....  

And had to take a pic of my son-in-law's favourites....

I have four full days in Paris which will be nice and friends of mine, the Krochmaliks are staying in the same hotel during that time. I have booked one of my favourite restaurants in Paris, Petite Pontoise (recommended by the Cornells) but unfortunately the other one I wanted to go to La Souffle (all courses Souffles) is closed for Summer holidays. I'm sure we'll find something good anyway.

So enough for now
Best to all
XD